The champion team of No Bull had plenty to celebrate after winning the 2025 Carpentaria Marine Services Weipa Billfish Tournament. Photo: Supplied.
No Bull has claimed bragging rights in this year’s Carpentaria Marine Services Weipa Billfish Tournament, taking out the Champion Boat title after three days of solid fishing.
Weipa Billfish Club president Gaven Roberts was more than happy with the results after 14 boats contested the annual Western Cape York billfish showdown last week (3-6 October).
“The boats brought in around 60 fish, which made it a really good competition,” Mr Roberts said.
“The champion boat caught 12.
“We had no marlin this year, only sailfish. Marlin usually grow bigger than sailfish so the size was a little down.”
The runner-up team of Black Pearl tagged and released eight sailfish. Photo: Supplied.
Although the gulf turned a bit lumpy on Sunday, Mr Roberts said the weather gods had largely smiled on the annual tag and release event.
“Overall you couldn’t ask for better weather,” he said.
Teams returned to the Port of Weipa on Sunday afternoon and then rocked up for the presentation night on Tuesday, 7 October.
Winners of the 2025 Carpentaria Marine Services Weipa Billfish Tournament:
- Champion boat – No Bull – 12 tagged sailfish
- Runner-up boat – Black Pearl – 8 tagged sailfish
- Third boat – Get N Any – 6 tagged sailfish
- Champion Male Angler – Chris Bolton – 6 tagged sailfish
- Runner-up Male – Tom Hockey – 6 tagged sailfish (decided on a countback – Chris tagged his sixth fish just before Tom.)
- Third Male – Jonathan Hofmeister
- Champion Female – Linda Jay – 3 tagged sailfish
- Runner-up Female – Tracey Small 2 tagged sailfish
- Third Female – Steph Kurz – 1 tagged sailfish
- Champion Junior – Owen Brooks – 3 tagged sailfish
- Runner-up Junior – Sonny Brooks – 2 tagged sailfish
- Third Junior – Jack Mazlin – 1 tagged sailfish
Third-place team, Get N Any. Photo: Supplied.
Weipa Billfish Club treasurer Alistair Thorogood said despite the action on the water, the competition’s high point came after fishing ceased each day when all boats gathered in Boyd’s Bay to share their successes and failures over a drink.
“It is so inclusive, the leading boats always share exactly where, when and how they are fishing,” Mr Thorogood said. “This is how we managed to get all competing 14 boats, three juniors and four females to tag a sailfish.
“By the second or third day all the boats were trolling circles around each other, using nearly identical equipment and sharing plenty of banter.
“There are absolutely no secrets and the results come down to angling skill and of course a little bit of luck.”
Mr Thorogood said he couldn’t imagine catching a good barramundi or coral trout in another fishing competition then getting on the radio to tell other fishers to join him on the spot.
“There is no other type of fishing like it, this is exactly what got me hooked a few years ago.”
The event also plays a critical role in understanding the region’s fishery. A sailfish tagged in 2023 was detected off Groote Eylandt five months later, making it the first confirmed record of one crossing the Gulf.
“It adds another piece to the puzzle as we wonder about the life cycle of Weipa’s sailfish,” Weipa Billfish Club spokesperson Ben Bright said.
“While information like this is always super interesting, we will have to wait and see what statistics come from this year’s tournament.”
